When looking at art, the actual picture usually stands out more than the message behind it.  There is a story behind every piece of art and what is thought to be is not what it appears to be.  For example, Artemisia Gentileschi's Judith and Her Maidservant may just seem to be two women who appear to be disoriented, but there is so much to extract from this simple painting.  With the use of color contrast, and symbolism the artist grants the viewer a story of a hero and a powerful, influential message that women are more powerful than what they are and that they can compare to that of a man.

With most paintings, the artist usually has a connection with their work.  Gentileschi, for instance, is a reflection of her works of art.  At a young age, Gentileschi suffered a horrid molestation, leaving her in a distressing state.  This is very well demonstrated with a look through some of her other work, such as Susanna and the Elders, a painting that illustrates pain and suffering of the female figure from the two male characters (Gentileschi, Susanna).  In addition, Gentileschi is "credited to be one of the greatest female painters in the Baroque period," an artistic period dominated by men ("Artemisia Gentileschi").  With a title such as that, prejudice and discrimination followed; however, Gentileschi overcame that through her art.  When one deeply analyzes Judith and Her Maidservant, it is clear to see that it was fashioned by someone who favors the idea of women (Gentileschi).

At first glance, Judith's face gets the attention of the viewer.  It is the brightest face on the painting, aside from the white clothing on the maidservant, the second thing that catches the eye.  One more attraction in the painting is a lifeless, shadowy head in a basket in the bottom right corner.  Out of curiosity, one would search for the reason of the decapitated head and come to see that Judith is carrying a sword.  However, this detail sparks even more curiosity.  The adversity causing Judith to murder a man is a mystery.  Furthermore, the women's attention is directed to something unknown and the expression in Judith's face shows caution.  Nonetheless, the women's posture and Judith's protective hand gesture on her maidservant's shoulder represents their preparedness.

Judith from the painting is a character in the Book of Judith from the Septuagint.  Judith, a rich widow, lived in an Assyrian village named Bethulia besieged by its general, Holofernes.  Later, the inhabitants began to plead for surrender.  Nevertheless, Judith developed a plan to free the people.  One night, she allowed herself to get peculiarly close to the general.  Next, she seduced the general and lured him into intoxication.  Finally, when the general was comfortable, Judith, with the assistance of her maidservant, beheaded the drunken leader (The Septuagint with Apocrypha, Judith).

This painting has a limited amount of colors, but they portray many various things.  Moreover, the contrasts between the different colors reveal a great deal of information on the contradicting act of Judith and her servant.  The brightest areas in the artwork are the women's skin and the maidservant's clothes (Gentileschi).  These brighter colors attract attention to the main subjects of the painting.  Likewise, they also put more emphasis on Judith and her maidservant, while the gloomy, deceased head is placed in a dark corner of the painting.  Among these bright colors, white stands out the most.  The color white signifies purity and goodness, two characteristics rooted in the women's actions.  They are heroes of the Assyrian people; however, the measures they have taken to save the village were too high.  Murder is a crime, no matter who does it.  Although these women are recognized for heroism, killing is the cause and that is displayed within the colors of this work.  The background is black, giving the scene of the portrait a mysterious impression and the red bloodstains on the white cloths symbolize the danger in the deed (Gentileschi).  Another contradicting factor the artist uses is the different ways the color red is presented.  Red is not only the color of the blood from Holofernes' head but it is also the color of Judith's dress (Gentileschi).  In this case, red indicates Judith's power over Holofernes. 

Aside from the symbolizing colors in Judith and Her Maidservant, a couple details acting as symbols as well.  These two symbols in this painting are used conjointly to represent Judith's power and bravery.  Judith's sword is in plain sight, but there is a smaller detail with the same importance as her sword and that is her hairpin.  The sword symbolizes strength, protection, courage, and power.  Judith's hairpin, however, is a more intricate symbol.  Looking closely, the viewer can see a male figure within the hairpin.  The viewer would have a better understanding of this detail if they were aware of the historical background of the painting.  When considering the history, Judith's story can compare to another well-known story.  Reflect on what Judith did for Bethulia.  She risked her own life to save an entire village, similar to what another character did in the Bible, David.  David is alleged to be the manlike figure on Judith's hairpin.  Gentileschi's purpose is to heighten the idea of women and bring attention to them, so she compares Judith to one of the most prominent men in the Bible.  The artist wants her audience to know that women are more powerful than they appear.

Gazing at Judith and Her Maidservant, the picture of two immoral women trying to escape a crime scene is seen.  The underlying message is not immediately present but then the colors catch the viewer's attention and Judith's heroic expression brightens the painting.  Then, the colors begin to contrast each other, the disconsolate, decapitated head creeps into the picture underneath the two illuminated women.  Judith's sword is spotted, showing her strength and courage.  The viewer can see how the artist portrays Judith and her accomplice as two brave and fearless heroines.  Their powerful image is more than just a picture and Gentileschi's message is made clear.
